Jigger conveyer



E. RIDGILL JIGGER CONVEYER Sept. 6, 1932.

- Filed Sept. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheei l [III/IIIA 2 Sheets-Sheet E RIDGILL JIGGER CONYEYER Filed Sept. E),l 1951 Sept. 6, 1932.

Patented Sept. 6,'11932 Y UNITED fsTjAlrEs.. .PATENT oFFlcE ERNEST; RI'DeiLIL, or` DRoNFInLi-j, lsHiniFInLn.EiveLAivn j i l l l y .o ,treatinv jooNvnYEn j i n Y Application vfiled September tr,ur1931,serialNo. 561,934, and in Great iitainMarch 4, 1931./

rlhis invention is for improvementsinor'rei ancewith this invention and with parts there# lating to jigger conveyers and more particuof illustrated in section, f larly to conveyers ofthe type'infwhich `the Figure 2 isa section on the line 2-2 of trough is formed of aligned sections connect Figure 1, f s ed together. "1 Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of 55 ligger conveyers of the described type have Figure k1, g Y heretofore been constructed with the trough Figure 4f is a view of a detail of Figure 1 sections provided at their ends with lugs soV with parts illustrated in a diil'erent position, that when sections are placed together for use, Figure 5 is a view at right angles' to Figlo the lugs of adjacent sections Contact With` one ure'4, i Y

another and a boltis passed through holes Figure 6 is a view similar to a portion of formed in each pair of adjacent lugs for the Figure'l but illustrating amodilication of the purpose of securing the trough sectionstov one invention, f y another. Thisl construction has the disad- Y Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of vantage that the nuts of the bolts'work loose Figure 6, A' f and become detached and lost during the Figure Sillustrates a modified detail of the working operations of the conveyer. v f mechanism illustrated in Figure 1,

rhe invention hasfor its objectfvariousim- "Figure 9l is a section on the line 9-9 of provements in the bolt type of connection for Figure 8, l 1

the troughs of jigger conveyers andconsist's Figure 10 isa 'section on the linelO-lO of 70 broadly in the provision in a troughfor aljigL Figure 8, andV n Y ger conveyer of the kind referred to oia con- VFigure 11 'is a similar view "to Figure 10, nection for the adjacent ends of; two succes#V but illustrating the parts of the mechanism sive trough sections'which comprisesa bolt sei in a different position. cured toy one section and a nut permanently kleferring to Figures 1 to 5, the ends'of a 75 and rotatably mounted upon the other section pair'of trough sections 1, 2 are'providedv upon in such a manner that when said adj acenty ends each side (one side only being shown in Figoi' the said sections are disposed adjacent to ure 1)"with a corresponding pair of lugs 3, 4 and in alignment with one another, the said secured byrivets `5to brackets 6 (Figures 2 bolt and nut are automatically Yarrangedfin and l3), horizontal flanges of which are yriv- 90 substantial parallelism with one another. i eted to the underside of a horizontal portion Further, according tothis invention,'there Z of the trough sections 1 and 2. The adjais provided connecting mechanism'for'the cent faces of each pair of lugs 3, 4 are arsections of troughs forjigger conveyerswhich ranged to abut against one another as illus- 65 comprises a lnut assembly constructedv soas trated in Figure 1, and the lugs are provided 85 to be rotatably mounted upon one sectionga with aligned holes 8 through which a bolt 9 bolt assembly constructed so as to'bve slidably is arranged to extend. Each bolt 9 is provid-ly mounted upon a second section and means ared with a hook shaped head 10` which. limits rangedV to limit the axial movements of the the movement of the bolt to the left in Figure 1 bolt relatively to the secondl section `for the l by engagement with the lug 4. A nut 11 90 purpose hereinafter 'specifiedl j i for the boltV 9 is provided with a hollow Other features of the invention will be more cylindrical extension 12 rotatably mounted particularlyI` specified in* the following de'- in a'socket'13 formed upon a lug 14 which'is scription and in the appended claims; riveted to the' bracket 6 to which the lug 3 45' In order that the `invention may be fully is secured, vrlhe extension 12 of the nut 11 95 understood, reference is di'rected'to the accomis provided with a series of ratchet teeth 15, panying drawings inwhich j Figure 4,l upon its outer end which are ar Figure 1 is a longitudinal sideelevation of rangedV to co-operate with teeth 16 provided the connecting means between the ends of a upon-one face'of a detentv member 17 mounted 5 pair of trough sections constructed in accord-V within the socket 13. A guide rod 18 is coaxially mounted in the member 17 to which it is secured by means of a pin 19 arranged to extend diametrically through the said detent member and guide rod. rEhe rod 18 extends axially into th-e interior of the hollow extension 12 and is provided with a head 20, a spring 21 being located between the said head and the inner face of the hollow extension 12. In the position of the parts illustrated in Figure 1, the pin 19 is located in notches 22, Figures 1 and 2, formed in one end face of the socket 13 and is maintained in this position by the spring 21. I

Adjacent to the lug4 on the trough sectien 2, an angle bracket 23, Figur-es 1 and 3, is secured to the corresponding bracket 6. A cover plate 26 is arranged over the bracket 23 so as to form an open ended box fitting therewith, and is secured to the said bracket by bolts 27. A lug 24 is provided on the cover plate 26 at the side thereof remote from the bolt 9 and is arranged to extend at right angles to the said plate into the path of movement of the bolt 9, spaces 25 being provided above and below the said lug for a purpose hereinafter described.

,spring controlled pawl 28 is mounted within the cover plate 26 upon an upperrhori- Zontally disposed portion 29y thereof and is arranged to co-operate with the hooked 'head 1() of the bolt 9 in a mann-er hereinafter described. y

The connecting mechanism abovevdescribed is employed as follows y Vhen the trough sections 1 and 2 are unconnected, the bolt 9 is normally located in the positionindicated in the dash and dot lines in Figure 1 so that the 4hooked head 10 thereof is located within the box fitting formedby the cover 26 and bracket 23 with the free end of the hook located behind the pawl 28. Vhen it is desired to connect the two trough sections together the pawl 28 is lifted manually and the bolty 9 is removed from behind the cover 26 by an operator inserting his lingers through the spaces 25. The bolt 9 isA then passed through the holes 8 in the lugs 3 and 4 until the screw threaded end thereof engages with the nut 11. The said nut is then rotated in a .clockwise direction Aso as to screw the samey on to the bolt 9 and thus securely fasten the trough sections 1 and 2 together. rlhe rotation of the nut 11 is permitted by a yielding ratchet action being effected between the ratchet teeth 15 on the extension 12and the teeth 16 of the detent member 17, the rotation of the latter being prevented by the engagement of the pin 19 in the notches 22.

Vhen it is required to disconnect the trough sections, the detent member 17 is withdrawn from the socket 13 against the influenceof the spring 21 until the pin 19 is removed from the notches 22, and the member 171is'then rotated through an angle which Let/6,31?

moves the pin 19 clear of the notches 22, for example, into the position indicated in Figures 4 and 5 in which the pin 19 bears against the end face of the socket 13. This movement of the member 17 disengages the teeth 16 thereon from the ratchet teeth 15 ofthe nut 11 so that the said nut is free to be moved in an anti-clockwise direction and unscrewed from the bolt 9.

When the nut 11 has been removed from the bolt 9, the said bolt is moved to the right in Figure l, until the hooked head 10 thereof is moved behind the cover 26, the pawl 28 being deflected bythe heady of the bolt and finally snapping in front of the free end of the hook into the position indicated in Figure 1vso as to maintain the bolt 9 securely in the positionindicated in dot and dash lines in the said ligure. In this position the thread of the bolt 9 is located within the hole 8 in the lug 4 and is thus elfectually protected against damage. It will bey observed that with the construction of connecting means for the troughs of jigger conveyers as above described, both the bolt 9 and nut 11 are permanently attached to the trough. sections 1 and 2 so that they cannotbecorne mislaid and the provision of the ratchet mechanism` described effectually prevents the nuts 11 from working loose during thev use of the conveyer.

Referring to Figures 6 and?, a modified form of nut 11and ratchet mechanism therefor is illustrated in which the nut 11 is secured to the trough section,y 1, by means of a screw 30 arranged to extend through a flanged washerv 31 and screwing into the cylindrical extension 12 of the said nut, The'nut 11 is provi-ded with a series ofcircumferentially arranged ratchet teeth 32 with which a pivotally mounted pawl 33 is arranged to co-act. The pawl 33 is pivotally mounted at 34 to the lug 14 and is controlled by a spring 35 mounted upon the corresponding bracket 6. rlhe spring 3 5 is provided with a flat portion 36 which normally bears` against a point 37 of the pawl 33 to permit the yielding movements of the pawl 33 to be effected which are necessary to permit the nut 11 to be screwed on to the bolt 9. When it is required to unscrewthe nut 11, the pawl 33 is lifted into the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Figure 7 where it is maintained by the engagement of the portion 36 of the spring with a fiat portion 38 provided on the said pawl.

Figures 8 to 11 illustrate a modified construction of the mechanism for retaining the hooked head 10 of the bolt 9 in position behind the cover 26, In this modified mechanism a forked member 3,9 is securedto a vertically disposed spindle 40 pivotally mounted in an extension 41 of the cover 26. A detent member 42 is keyed to the upper end of the spindle 40 andis arranged to co-operatewith a spring blade 43securedto the'lower end of a; rod 44 whichA is rotatably mounted ina guide hole formed in a bracket extension145v corresponding trough section'to another, the

forked member 39 islocated in the position shown in Figure 11, and when the said bolt moved into position behindy the cover 26, the hooked head l0 of the saidbolt engages with one arm 48 of the forked member 39 which extends into the path of movement thereof,l

as illustrated in Figure 1l. A further movenient of thebolt 9 of the right in Figure ll causes the forked member 39 to be lrotated about its pivot until the other arm 49 thereof extends Within the-hook l() as indicated in Figures 8 to l0; during this movement, the spring 43 is flexed by the detent member 42 until itfinally snaps in front of the said member Vinto the posi'tionillustrated in Figure 10,

thus securely maintaining the bolt behind the cover 26.

Vhen 4it is required to remove the bolt from behind the cover 26, the rod v44 is moved upwardly by means ofthe knob 46 until the spring 43 is raised out of the path of movement of the detent member'42 so that the forked member 39 is'free to be rotated about its pivot as the bolt is removed from behind the cover 26.

It is to be understood that the invention' may be lequallywell applied to arrangements in which the bolts 9 are provided with other forms of heads than the hooked head l0 illus-k trated in the drawings.

1. Connecting mechanism for the sections of troughs for jig-ger conveyors which vcom,- rises a nut assembly constructed Aso as to be rotatably mounted upon one section, a bolt assembly constructedl so as to be slidably mounted upon a secoiidsection and'ineans arranged to limit the axial movements of the bolt relatively to the second section for the urooses eciiied.-

2. Connecting mechanisml as claimed in claim l, wherein the nut assembly comprises a nut provided with acylindri'cal extension rotatably mounted and secured within a socket member arranged to besecured to a trough section.

8. In a trough Vfor a jigger conveyer of the kind referred to, a connection for the adjacent ends of tivo successive trough sections which comprises a bolt secured to onesection and a v nut permanently and rotatably mounted up on the other section in such a manner that when the said adjacent ends ofthe said sections are disposed adjacent to and -in alignment with one another, the said bolty and nut are automatically arranged in substantial? parallelism with one another,y for the purpose described. l

4. In a trough for a jigger conveyer ofthe kind referred to, a connection for theadjacent endsof two successive ltroughl sections which comprises in combination a bolt secured is detached vfrom the nut therefor and isfscrewedtliereon, the said bolt and nut being parallelism with one another, for the purpose described. v

v 5. Ina trough for a jigger conveyer of the Y kind referred to, a connection for the adj acent ends of two successive trough sections which,comprises in Vcombination a bolt secured to one section, a nut having a cylindrical extension rotatably mounted in a socket provided Aupon the other section, means operable lto secure said extension permanently in said socket, detent mechanism normally operable to prevent rotation of the nut in a direction which would loosen the same from ther bolt when screwed. thereon and means operable to disengage said detent mechanism, the said bolt and nut being so arranged upon their respective sections that when the corresponding ends of the sections are disposed adjacent to and in alignment with one another, the said bolt and nutare automatically arranged insubstantia-l parallelism with one another, for the purpose described. l p

, 6. Inra trough for a jigger conveyer of the kindreferred to, a connection for the adj acent 4ends of two successive trough sections which comprises in combination a bolt slidable axially in a socket provided upon one section, means adapted to limit the sliding movements of the bolt in both forward and rearward directions and in the rearward direction so that the thread of the bolt is located Within said socket anda nut permanently. and rotatably mounted upon the other section in such a manner that when the said adjacent ends of the said sections are disposed adj acent to and in alignment with one another, the said bolt and nut are automatically arranged in substantial parallelism with one another, for the purpose described.

7. In a trough for a jigger conveyer o-f the kind referred to, a connection for the adjacent ends of two successive trough sections Which comprises in combination ra bolt slidable axially in a socket provided upon one lio` rection so that the thread of the bolt is located .Within said socket, a. nut permanently and rotatably mounted upon the other sec tion and a ratchet mechanism operable normally to prevent rotation of the nut in a direction which would loosen the same from the bolt when screwed thereon, the said bolt and nut being so arranged upon their respective sections that when the corresponding ends of the sections are disposed adjacent to and in alignment with one another, the said bolt and nut are automatically arranged in substantial parallelism with one another, for the purpose described.

8. ln a trough for a jigger conveyor of the kind referred to, a connection for the adjacent ends of two successive trough sections which comprises in combination a bolt slidable axially in a socket provid-ed upon one section, means adapted to limit the sliding movements of the bolt in both forward and rearward direc-tions and in the rearward direction so that the thread of the bolt is located withinsaid socket, a nut having a cylindrical extension rotatably mounted in a socket provided upon the other section, means operable to secure said extension permanently in said socket, detent mechanism normally operable to prevent rotation of the nut in a direction which would loosen the same from the bolt when screwed thereon and means operable 'to disengage said detent mechanism, the said bolt and nut being so arranged upon their respective sections that when the corresponding ends of the sections are disposed adjacent to and in alignment with one another, the said bolt and nut are automatically arranged in substantial parallelism with one another, for the purpose described.

9. In a trough for a j igger conveyor of the kind referred to, a connection for the adjacent ends of two successive trough sections which comprises in combination a bolt slidable axially in a socket provided upon one section, means adapted to limit the sliding movements of the bolt in both forward and rearward directions and in the rearward direction so that the thread of 'the bolt is lo cated within said socket, means operable automatically to retain said bolt in the rearward position, and a nut permanently and rotatably mounted upon the other section in such a manner that when the said adjacent ends of the said sections are disposed adjacent to and in alignment with one another, the said bolt and nut are automatically arranged in substantial parallelism with one another, for the purpose described.

10. ln a trough for a jigger conveyer of the kind referred to, a connection for the adjacent ends of two successive trough sections which comprises in combination a hookheaded bolt slidable axially in a socket provided upon one section, means adapted to limit the sliding movements of the bolt in both forward and rearward directions and in the rearward direction so that the thread of the bolt is located within said socket, detent means operable automatically to engage the head of said bolt as the same is moved to the rearward position and to retain the bolt in said position until manually released, a nut permanently and rotatably mounted upon the other section and a ratchet mechanism operable normally to prevent rotation of the nut in a direction which would loosen the same `from the bolt when screwed thereon, the said bolt and nut being so arranged upon their respective sections that when the corresponding ends of the sections are disposed adjacent to and inV alignment withone another, the said bolt and nut are automatically arranged in substantial parallelism with one another, for the purpose described.'

ll. ln a. trough forza jigger conveyer of the kind referred to,- a connection for the adjacent ends of two successive trough sections which comprises in combination a hook-headed bolt slidable axially in a socket provided upon one section, Vmeans adapted to limit the sliding movements of the bolt in both forward and rearward directions and in the rearward direction so that the thread of the bolt is located within said socket, detent means operable automatically to engage within the hook of the head of said bolt as the same is moved to the rearward position and to retain the bolt in said position until manually released, a nut permanently and rotatably mounted upon the other section and a ratchet mechanism operable normally to prevent rotation of the nut in a direction which would loosen the same from the bolt when screwed thereon, the said bolt and nut being so arranged upon their respective sec'- tions that when the corresponding ends of the sections are disposed adjacent to and in alignment with one another, the said bolt and nut are automatically arranged in substantial parallelism with one another, for the purpose described.

12. Connecting mechanism for the section of troughs of jigger conveyors which comprisesa nut assembly consisting of a nut provided with a cylindrical extension rotatably mounted and secured within a socket arranged to be secured to a trough section, ratchet teeth on said extension, a yieldingly controlled detent member operatively engagiing said teeth to prevent rotation of said nut in one direction for the purpose described and a bolt assembly constructed so that the bolt can be slidably mounted upon a second trough section and including means adapted to limit the axial movements of the bolt relatively to the said second section.

13. Connecting mechanism for the section of troughs of jigger conveyors which comprises a nut assembly consisting of a nut provided with a cylindrical extension rotatably mounted and secured within a socket arranged to be secured to a trough section,

llO

ratchet teeth on said nut, a yieldingly controlled detent operatively engaging said teeth to prevent rotation of said nut in one direction for the purpose described and a l bolt assembly constructed so that the bolt can be slidably mounted upon a second ltrough section and including means adapted to limit the axial movements of the bolt relatively to the said second'section. Y

14. Connecting mechanism for the section of troughs of jigger conveyers which comprises a nut assembly consisting of a -nut provided with a cylindrical extension rotatably mounted and secured within a socket arranged to be secured to a trough section, ratchet teeth on said extension, a yieldingly controlled detent member operatively engaging said teeth to prevent rotation'of said nut in one direction for the purpose described and a bolt assembly adapted to be mounted upon a second trough section and which consists of a bolt slidably mounted in an axial direction in a hollow lug secured to a bracket and a fitting arranged to receivev the head of the bolt when the same is displaced in the hollow lug in the direction towards the head and means operable to lock the head within the iitting for the purpose specified.

15. Connecting mechanism for the section of troughs of jigger conveyers which comy prises a nut assembly consisting of a nut provided with a cylindrical extension ro tatably mounted and secured within a socket arranged to be secured to a trough section, ratchet teeth on said nut, a yieldingly controlled detent operatively engaging said teeth to prevent rotation of said nut in one direction for the purpose described and a bolt assembly adapted to be mounted upon a second trough section and which consists of a bolt slidably mounted in an axial direction in a hollow lug secured to a bracket and a fitting arranged to receive the head of the bolt when the same is displaced in the hollow lug in the direction towards the head and means operable automatically to lock the head with the fitting for the purpose specifled.

ERNEST RIDGILL. 

